5 Drops Review: BOOTS ON THE GROUND by Angela S. Stone

A while back I reviewed the book, Sometimes It’s Fate, for a new M/M Romance author and loved both the story and the setting. That’s how I ‘met’ Angela S. Stone. Well, I convinced her to sit down with me for an interview, which was fun! Now however . . . I’m here to share book #2 in her Canada’s Finest series, Boots on the Ground! Check out below for my review and a great little excerpt for all my M/M fans out there.

Ash Cooper and Jason McCarty know they need to do one thing, and one thing alone: stay alive.

An IED attack destroyed their convoy and left them both injured in the high desert of Afghanistan and running from insurgents. They take refuge with a group of Afghan civilians, and their only hope of rescue is two satellite phones that might be damaged beyond repair.

Ash and Jason join forces with a British army nurse to survive the harsh living conditions. As days to turn to weeks, they think of home, the husbands they left behind, and the lives they want to return to.

But with food rations running short, the elders angry at them, and the hope of rescue lost, Ash and Jason start to give up, and in the end turn to each other in their struggle for survival.

Boots on the Ground by Angela S. Stone is book #2 in the Canada’s Finest series. It tells the story of Jason, a Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer who is sent to Afghanistan to help train police there, and Ash, a Canadian Police officer, as they struggle through in IED attack that they are the only survivors of, the hell of living with the civilians there whose actions and way of life torture them on a soul level, and back again once they are rescued.

The story telling is rich, the situations so real you feel like you’re right there through it all with the men, and the trauma so real you need both some Kleenex and something to cuddle. I loved book #1, Sometimes It’s Fate, but Boots on the Ground blew me away. My heart broke for Jason and Ash, and then again for Jason and David. The things they go through are, sadly, very real, as anyone that’s been deployed into deadly areas can attest. The trauma (internal) is also very accurate.

The ending . . . wow! I both loved and despised the ending. It definitely left me demanding the next book, lol. I won’t give any of that away, but be ready for a powerful roller coaster of love, fear, joy, and desperation. This is one book that will both stay with me for a long time and that I will reread again and again. A full 5 Drops of Excellence!

Also, stay tuned at the end of Boot’s on the Ground because Angela has left the blurbs for both Jason and David’s follow up book (Special Investigations) AND for Craig’s (Positive Attraction)! I can’t wait!

David groaned. He’d worked last night, but his ex-wife, Carole, had to work this morning. Her sister dropped the kids off around ten, allowing David at least a few hours of uninterrupted sleep before he had to be coherent enough to be a parent.

The doorbell rang, and David told her, “Yeah, I’m awake.” He flipped the covers off and grabbed a housecoat. Why in the heck would Monica, his sergeant, be here? She wasn’t even scheduled to work today.

Ryan, his oldest, beat David to the door. “Hi, Aunt Monica!” Ryan chirped at her.

“Monica?” David asked when he saw her. She wore her red serge and was accompanied by Father Callaghan, the local pastor. David immediately had a sinking feeling.

“Ryan, why don’t you go downstairs to the rec room? Take Mandy and Kevin with you,” Monica told David’s oldest.

The boy glanced from his pseudo-aunt to his father and then dashed away calling for his younger siblings.

“Can we come in, David?”

“Yeah sure, sorry. I worked last night,” David said by way of explanation for his attire as he led them into the living room. He sat down in the chair. Monica and Father Callaghan took the sofa. “What’s this about, Monica?”

“Last night Jason was in a convoy travelling to a remote outpost in the northern district of the Balkh province.”

David felt his heart plunge. No, please God, no, not his Jason.

“The convoy hit an IED. Most of the vehicles in the convoy were completely destroyed.Jason wasn’t killed in the blast; however he is missing in action along with another Civilian Police Officer, Ashley Cooper.”

“What does that mean, missing in action? Does that mean he’s dead?” David asked. He blinked back tears.

“It means he is operating outside of a known area. They can’t locate him; therefore he is missing. They have every hope Jason and this other officer took refuge in caves near the attack site. Insurgents were in the area after the explosion, and they would have been forced to take cover from them. The coalition is sending out patrols and search parties today.”

“Why are you telling me this?” David asked rubbing his hands over his face. “Why not wait until you knew?”

“The military needs to make an announcement. Twenty-one other coalition soldiers, including civilian police, Canadian, American, British, and Afghan, were killed in this attack.It wasn’t fair not to tell you what’s happening with Jason. They’re going to be making announcements in time for the evening news. I’ve sent someone to talk to Jason’s brother, Steve, and their mom. Is there anyone else you want me to notify?”

“No, that’s everyone. God, how am I going to explain this to the kids?” David asked. He ran his fingers through his short hair. “Are you sure he’s not dead, Monica?”

“The military thinks he’s just hiding out from insurgents. He should be located and extracted very soon. I would have to agree with them. My gut is telling me he’s coming home to you.”

David nodded. The tears that had been threatening to fall started streaming down his face. Monica went over to hug him, and he prayed that Jason was still alive.

Angela S. Stone is a twenty-something Registered Nurse living, and working in Ottawa, Canada. Her first novel, Sometimes It’s Fate, was published by Phaze books in 2011. Angela finds inspiration in real life personal events for her books, often writing about issues and she is a proud Canadian and an even prouder girl from back east. She thoroughly enjoys writing novels featuring character that live in or are from the Maritimes. She’s recently met Mr. Right and when she’s not occupied with him she can be found hanging out at her local Starbucks writing. She spends her free time advocating for minorities and persons with disabilities.

Angela has a severe learning disability called Dysgraphia. Despite this she has written several novels, graduated from university will be starting her Master’s degree in nursing. All things she was told she would never be able to do.

Angela has never met a challenge that she couldn’t overcome. She believes strongly in the philosophy of saying “I can’t” means “I won’t” and advocating for yourself. She has spoken about these topics on provincial, regional and national levels. As well has published several articles in related disability orientated magazines.

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About the author

Mistress Anya

Áine P Massie is originally from Florida, she now lives in Wisconsin where she works on her House Millar series full time while raising four children (the term herding cats comes to mind). Her major in College was Childhood Education (specializing in ages 0-5) with a minor study in Deaf Culture/ASL. She is also a Wiccan priestess dedicated to the gods, family, and love.

Áine is a proud member of the Rom-Critters and a life-long reader. Áine has always had a particular fascination with vampires, mythology, and the unusual. When she can escape from her children and books, she enjoys . . . oh yes, reading, playing, ritual, a good cappuccino, and working with her healing stones.

Her first published work came in high school where she was part of a writing and drama group. But, she’s been reading the likes of Shakespeare and Poe since late elementary school and enjoys most forms of fiction.